Jul 3 F for innovation

Paris innovation hub Station F opens for business today with entrepreneurs taking a raft of start-up programmes

Paris innovation hub Station F opens for business today with 3,000 entrepreneurs taking part in the 26 start-up programmes up and running on the brand new campus, with Facebook, Ubisoft, Thales and Microsoft among those running initiatives.

Station F reports that it has received 2,300 applications from over 50 different countries for its ‘Founders’ programme and that it is currently hosting 200 start-ups, 40% of which are female-founded. The next intake will be in October – applications are still open with full-time residency coming in at €195 per month.

The hub also runs a ‘Fighters’ programme aimed at disadvantaged entrepreneurs, including those who grew up in poor suburbs/rural areas, those struggling to integrate and refugees. What they need is ‘whatever it takes to build a start-up and are already working on a project’. Those accepted for this platform will get free residency for a one-year commitment.

“Diversity is insanely important to us — we believe it’s what drives innovation,” says Station F director Roxanna Varga.

In Germany Vodafone-backed accelerator F-LANE is partnering with the Impact Hub Berlin and the Social Entrepreneurship Akademie to support tech ventures empowering women and providing solutions to social problems. F-LANE says its looking to ensure that women and girls ‘play a leading role in shaping the future’.